February 26 , 2015
Civil War reenactors travel time to right a wrong they caused during their last visit to 1863
GETTYSBURG, Pa. -- Sunbury Press has released The Death Machine, Charles K. Godfrey's sequel to the bestsellingThe Final Charge. About the Book: The Death Machine is the sequel to The Final Charge, the story of Mike, Ray, and Gordon, three Civil War reenactors, who accidentally time traveled to Gettysburg in July, 1863. They took part in Pickett’s Charge and, at the end, when they made it home, they discovered they had somehow changed history. The characters find themselves in a wonderful new world, but underneath its facade, there exists an evil that continues to grow. One of the characters is murdered, and the others risk their lives, traveling through time again to try to reset the timeline. This involves stopping a secret weapon that could foil their plans. Excerpt: Friday, July 3, 1863 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania It was a sultry 90-degree day. The sky rained hot metal down on the men crossing the Emmitsburg Road. Double canister tore through the Confederate rank and file every step of the way. Pickett’s Charge was in its final minutes as the Confederates dashed toward the stone wall at the area known as the Angle. In the oppressive heat of the day and the dense smoke of cannon fire, Armistead’s Confederate brigade passed through the two decimated brigades of Garnett and Kemper that were at the front. With the stench of sulfur in their mouths and nostrils, the men of the Ninth Virginia Regiment headed for the stone wall, right where Lieutenant Cushing’s Fourth U.S. Light Artillery was located. Lieutenant Cushing had his men push the two cannons down to the stone wall to greet the oncoming Confederates. Sergeant Fuger was at his side and in the process of loading the guns when Lt. Cushing was hit in the groin by a piece of shrapnel. Lt. Cushing fell against the gun and slid to the ground, holding his wound. Sergeant Fuger rushed to his side. “Lon, you okay?” He saw Lt. Cushing’s guts protruding from his wound and he called for the medical stewards. When the stewards got there, Cushing waved them off. “Please, Fred, help me up,” Cushing asked. Sergeant Fuger helped him to his feet and with the Confederates coming over the wall, Lt. Cushing grabbed his sergeant by the lapel. “Give them double canister.” “Let ‘em have it!” Sergeant Fuger yelled. Unbeknownst to Cushing, the gunners were killed before they could get the shots off. Seeing the bayonets coming his way, Lt. Cushing yelled, “Fire the damn–“ At that very moment, a Minié ball entered his mouth and blew out the back of his head. He fell from the sergeant’s arms to the ground, dead. After witnessing the death of Lt. Cushing, Sergeant Fuger turned his attention to the Confederates coming over the wall. He pulled the lanyard. The discharge was devastating. Hell seemed to be cut loose on the remaining Confederates inside the Angle. The smoke was so thick and the noise so loud that confusion gripped the battlefield. The two sides struggled and fought in deadly hand-to-hand combat. Men picked up rocks and threw them at each other. Cushing’s battery was overrun and the Confederate flags were going up over the stone wall. Union General Webb, seeing the hole punched into the lines, put in reinforcements at the Angle and the tide soon turned. The Confederates were driven back. One by one, the men in butternut and gray were on the retreat. The battle was over, but the carnage remained. Smoke boiled up from the battlefield along with the sickening stench of death that filled the air. Wounded men from both sides begged for water, while the horses writhed in their death rattles. It was the true picture of butchery and death. Pickett’s Charge was over. About the Author: Charles K. Godfrey started out in Baltimore County Fire Department as a Firefighter and was quickly promoted to Paramedic. He was promoted to Lieutenant and served the Fire Investigation unit. He retired as a Fire Lieutenant with 27 years’ service. During this time, as a hobby, he reenacted the Civil War with the First Maryland Volunteer Infantry Regiment. For more than twenty years, he participated in the reenactments of Gettysburg, Manassas, Cedar Creek, and many others, including living history events at Fort McHenry and Harpers Ferry. He took part in the 150th ceremonies at Gettysburg. He is a history buff that likes to blend fiction with history. In addition, he is enthusiastic about science fiction and loves the idea of time travel. He resides in northern Baltimore County with his wife of 40 years. The Death Machine Authored by Charles K Godfrey List Price: $16.95 5.5" x 8.5" (13.97 x 21.59 cm) Black & White on White paper 238 pages Sunbury Press, Inc. ISBN-13: 978-1620065754 ISBN-10: 1620065754 BISAC: Fiction / Historical For more information, please see: http://www.sunburypressstore.com/The-Death-Machine-978162...